Under a Thunder Moon

Under

A

Thunder Moon

By: Jack Batcher

Under a Thunder Moon

Published by Jack Batcher

Islip
, NY 

Copyright – 2011 – Jack Batcher

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, print or otherwise, without prior written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, Any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

www.jackbatcher.com

To: “The
Creepiest Person in my life!”

I am looking forward to making many more dedications like this to you.

Prologue:

“You done me wrong…”

1

             
In hard heavy breaths
, Paul rolled over onto his back. As his head flopped down on the pillow, he said, “Wow Alyssa that was great. You feel so good baby.”

              The radio was tuned to “Long Island’s Home of Rock-n-Roll,” 102.3 WBAB, and
Your Time is
Gonna Come
, by Led Zeppelin played softly in the background.

              Alyssa snuggled up to him on his left side, laid her head on his chest and said, “Mmm I know Paul I have missed you. I just had to be with you one last time.”

              Paul sat up abruptly, “What do you mean ‘one last time’ Alyssa?”

              Alyssa got up and began getting dressed, pulling on a pink t- shirt and cut off denim shorts.

              “I mean we can’t keep sneaking around like this. It’s not right Paul. We have to stop before Jim finds out,” Alyssa said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

              “I know what you mean Alyssa, but I can’t let you go. We have something here I can feel it, and I think you can feel it too.”

              “Yes Paul, I really do care about you too, but it just can not be. I have been with Jim for almost two years now. Plus you guys have been friends for a long time.”

              “Yeah me and Jim go back a long time… since Junior High School.”

              “Right Paul and you are a roadie for his band too. Plus I also think Jim suspects something is up. He isn’t saying anything yet, but you know how Jim just senses when things aren’t right.”

              “I know what you mean Alyssa. Jim’s instincts have kept us from getting busted by the cops a few times. He also has this weird thing where he can read people too, and knows if someone is lying to him.”

              “That’s what I mean Paul. Jim knows something isn’t right with me and the fucking mind game is making me a nervous wreck. We have to stop seeing each other. I am afraid of him Paul. Jim has been acting strange lately.”

              Paul got up and pulled on his faded denim blue jeans. Then he sat down next to her on the bed and put his arm around her.  “How has Jim been acting strange?”

              “He keeps singing this new song he wrote. It is called
Satisfied
.”

             
“Oh that evil sounding blues song he wrote recently?”

              “Yeah Paul that’s the one, and it’s just the way he has been looking at me. Jim looks at me with this dark demonic glare like he is reading my thoughts, or planning something horrific. He knows. Jim knows, and at some point he will confront me with exactly what has been going on. He is just testing me to see if I’ll cave in and confess. Then it will all be over anyway. We have to stop this now Paul.” Tears began to well up in her eyes.

              “What if there was another way Alyssa?”

             
“What do you mean Paul?”

             
“You could break it off with Jim. This way we could be together.”

             
“No Paul, I love Jim. I always have. Plus he would kill us both.”

              “I don’t think Jim will kill us Alyssa. He might feel like it, but he wouldn’t over this. Also think about this Alyssa … You and Jim have been together for two years. Has he ever talked about marrying you?”

              “No Paul he hasn’t.”

             
“And you want to get married, don’t you?”

             
“Yes I do… someday.”

             
“Do you think he will marry you once he signs that record deal next week?”

             
“No probably not.”

              “Yeah I don’t think Jim will marry you Alyssa, and the band won’t be taking me along to roadie for them either. They will have other people to handle their gear. So you see Alyssa we will all be moving on in different ways.”

              “Maybe you are right Paul, but if Jim finds out about us it won’t matter to him and you know it. It wouldn’t be about you and me, or me leaving him. The thing that Jim would kill us for is the betrayal. It is this sneaky messing around behind his back shit. That Jim would kill us for and you know it Paul.”

              “You are scaring yourself Alyssa. I can handle Jim, and you know what… I don’t care. Let him try what he wants. It doesn’t matter. Whatever! The thing is Alyssa … is that I love you. I want to be with you.”

             
“Oh Paul…”

             
“Come on Alyssa.” Paul said taking hold of her hands in his. “Let’s give us a chance.”

              “What was that noise Paul?”

             
“It sounded like glass breaking. Wait here while I check it out.”

2

             
“What the hell?!”
Paul said, as he walked out of his trailer, and saw a hole in the driver’s side window of his rusted red pick up truck.

              “What is it Paul?” Alyssa called out from the doorway of Paul’s trailer.

              “Someone busted the window on my truck, and what the hell is all of this?”

             
“What is it Paul?”

             
“It looks like fucking blood all over the damn place.”

              “Blood?” Alyssa asked, in a thin whisper. “Blood from what?”

              “Oh no! No! No! No!”

             
“What is it Paul?” Alyssa asked, as she came out of the trailer to see what it was.

              Before Paul could stop her, Alyssa had started to look into the cab of Paul’s pick up truck. She saw all the shattered glass and blood. Then on the passenger seat she saw the vacant glare of Paul’s decapitated Rottweiler, and shrieked in horror.

              Paul quickly put his arms around her and guided her away from the truck. Alyssa cut the bottom of her right foot on a piece of broken glass, letting out another scream. Paul helped her back inside the trailer. 

              Sitting her down at the kitchen table, Paul looked to pull the sliver of glass out of Alyssa’s foot.

              “Who would do that to Poncho? Who would chop off a dogs head and smash it through the window Paul?”

              “I don’t know Alyssa, but stop squirming so I can get the glass out of your foot.”

              “I know who it was Paul. It was Jim.”

             
“Now let’s not jump to conclusions Alyssa. Plus I don’t think Jim would do that.”

              “Yeah Jim and The Howlers would. Just to torture you. Mike would totally do that to the dog. He is a freakin’ psycho. I heard the cat story. I heard about what Jim and Mike did.”

              “That was a long time ago Alyssa. Plus they were stoned out of their minds on Angel Dust, and the cat was supposedly already dead.”

              “Yeah right, ‘supposedly.’ I don’t care Paul. Anyone who would chop off a cats head and roll it down the school hallway is sick and twisted.”

              “Alright Alyssa, let’s not talk about that right now ok? Just calm down baby.”

             
“Aren’t you going to call the Police?”

             
“Yeah Alyssa I am, just as soon as I get the glass out of your foot. Now hold still.”

              Blood dripped onto the yellow tile of the kitchen floor as Paul gently slid the piece of broken glass out of Alyssa’s foot. He wrapped her foot tightly with gauze to stop the bleeding. Just as he finished wrapping her foot, Paul’s cell phone rang.

              “Who the heck is calling me?”

3

             
Paul answered his cell phone.

              “Hey Trailer Park what’s crackin’?”

             
“Hey Jim,” Paul said. “What’s up?”

             
“I’m wondering where you are asshole. We are getting ready to pack up the gear for the show tonight. So are you on your way mother fucker or what?”

             
“Yeah Jim I am on my way,” Paul said. “I was just taking car of Poncho. He got a little sick.”

              “Alright Trailer Park,” Jim said, “so when do you think you’ll be here?”

             
“I’ll be there when I get there Jim.”

             
“Hey there’s no reason for you to catch attitude mother fucker.”

             
“Sorry Jim, I just have to clean up this mess quick and I should be leaving in less then an hour.”

              “Good,” Jim said. “That’s good Trailer Park. There is no reason to go and lose your head. I’ll see you when you get here… Later Trailer Park.”